Straight bar knitting machine



Feb. 17,1959

Filed June 22.

E. START ETAL 2,873,593

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING 'MACHINE 1956 5 sheets-sheet 1 Feb. 17, 1959 E. START ETAL 2,873,593

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 17, 1959 Filed June 22. 1956 E. START ETAL STRAIGHT BAB KNITTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 O V M 'C'GI L o o Inventor: Er n es# aS hui" Feb. 17, 1959 E. START ETAL 2,873,593

STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22, 195e 5 sheets-sheet `4 Inventor; rnes Shuf- Feb. 17, 1959 E. START ETAL 24,873,593

` STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 22. 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent() 2,813,593 STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MA'cHnsE Ernest Start, Wilford, and Raymond Blood, Shepshed,

England, asslgnors to William `Cotton Limited, Loughborough, England Application June 22, 1956, Serial No. 593,191 Claims priority, application Great Britain July 1, 1955 i 9 Claims. (Cl. 66--82) 2,873,593 Patented Feb. 177, 1959 `2 is not fed satisfactorily to those needlesrequired to receive it for the initial course of each blank. l

An object of the invention is to provide means in a knitting machine for the control of the aforesaid length or lengths of yarn such `as to ensure satisfactory feeding of yarn to those needles required to receive it for the initial course of each blank.

The invention provides in a knitting machine for successively producing knitted` blanks from the same yarn by the employment of means including a row of loop formingelements and at least one thread carrier traversing to and fro along the row of loop forming elements, p

and means forpressing-off each blank so that a length -of the yarn then extends from the thread carrier to the pressed-ofi blank, yarn deilector means which is displaceable lto deect the yarn extending from the thread carsuch for example as ladies jumpers or Cardigans. When 1 producing blanks for these garments it is required to commence with a length of fabric which is different from the remainder of the fabric. For this purpose our U. S. patent applications Serial Nos. 470,455 and 575,047 disclose arrangements in which a point bar having a separately-made run-on portion on it is applied to the machine during the knitting of one blank and in which means are operated to automatically transfer the separately-made run-on portion from the points to the needles at the.comrnencement of knitting of the next blank,

there being.. also provided auxiliary draw-off means for attachment` to the separately-made run-on portion for initial draw-off and main draw-off means` `for subsequently substituting for the auxiliary draw-off means. This separately-made run-on portion may be a rib fabric portion but it is alternatively required to provide a Straight bar knitting machine not only With means such that ,itV is capable ofproducing a blank `commencingwith aribfabric portion but also with means such that it is capable of `alternatively commencing with a turned welt which isfeither in thel form of` a separately-made run-on portion or is produced on the machine. Such a machine is disclosed in` our U.. S. patent application Serial No. 635,167.

The displacement of the point bar from its inoperative c tending between the sinkers.

rier and locate that part of it which is adjacentthe loopforming elements in pre-determined attitude relative thereto. Preferably the` predetermined attitude is substantially normal to` a row of needles in the machine and `also preferably such that the yarn extends between sinkers in the machine movable between successiveA needles. Conveniently the yarn deflector means comprises a hook` fixed on a carrier member, the carrier member being linearly displaceable in a direction parallel to the row of needles for engagement ofthe hook with` the yarn and for the location of said part of the yarn in the `substantially normal attitude, and also being angularly Adisplaceable transverse to said direction for location of said part of the yarn in the attitude ex- There may be a rodconstitnting said .carrier-member, mounting means in which thef rod is freely supported for sliding movement in said direction parallel to therow of needles and for angular movement about its own major axis, and limit stop means on the rod and the mounting means limiting such movements. More specifically thereis provided, mounted on a stationary frame part of the machine, spaced bearing bracketsconstituting the mounting means for the rod, a guide baranda graduated scale extending between the bearing brackets?, a slidably` adjustable-stop on` the guide bar co-operating, with said scale, `astop fixed on therod to move between one of the bearing brackets and the adjustable stop to adjustably limit the linear displacement of `.the rod to` variably measured distances,

angularly spaced stops on the rod to co-operate with oplocation ofthe needles, and it is effected a short time after the blank has been pressed-oh?. The pressing-off of the blank is immediately followed byrot-ation of a draw-off roller in the machine to further wind on to it that part of the blank extending from it, and this results in a Ilength of yarn being drawn through the operative thread feedenso as to extend forwardly from the feeder to `the blank on the draw-off roller.` It will be appreciated that the blank onthe roller, beingin somewhat relaxed state, is of less width than when being produced and as a result of this the length of yarn extending from the feeder to the blank on the draw-off roller inclines from the feeder in a direction inwardly of the adjacent selvedge needles, and the disadvantage exists that .when the point bar is displacedrearwardly to its operative position, the points are likely to foul the `yarn in the region of the selvedge needle. age or mis-positioning of yarn may occur such that yarn posite sides of said frame part and limit` the angular displacement of the roda'nd a handle fixed on the rod for its displacement manually. l p

The invention also provides a machine as` above, being a multi-section straight" bar knitting machine in which there are a plurality of knitting sections and an intermediate non-knitting section, wherein said rod extends, along the plurality of sections and has a plurality of the hooks xed thereon one in each knitting section,

f and further wherein said mounting means for the rod,

the guide bar` and scale, thevarious stops, and the handle are disposed in or in the region of said intermediate section.

The invention further provides `a machine as above f having a point bar displaceable to `engage its points with the needles in the process of providing` on the needles a length of knitting fabric constituting the commencement` of each blank, and wherein the predetermined attitude of said part of the yarn is such as to be clear of the path of said points when they are being thus dis- As a result yarn breakg and'. having one of said yam deliector means for each length of. yarn. In this modification the pluralityw of hooks are preferably mounted on the rod for simultaneous displacement.

More specifically in thismodiication there may, be acleat or the like at aside` locationl towhichtheplurality of lengths: of'yarn are fastened' so thatA they all extendjin similarly inclined manner from they thread carriers to the cleat beforethe deflection of the yarns "by the plurality of hooks.l

In a further modilication themachine asv above,V instead of employing the cleat or the like,- is provided wherein v after pressingV olf the l blank, at i least two of the plurality of lengths of 'yarn extend at relatively dilerent inclinations from theYA threadcarriers to-the pressed off blank, and having atleast two ofsaid yarn deflector means, oneVv foreach ofi the dilerently inclined lengths of yarn, and: which means are separably displaceable in the relatively diierent manner, necessaryv because' of thedifere'nt inclinations'offthe two 'lengths-'of-"yarm m y"In a further modication theA machine as above, in,-` stead of employing the cleat` orthef'like, is 'provided' wherein after pressing oft theblank, the plurality-fof lengths of yarn extend in convergent manner from the thread carriers tothe pressed 'off blank, and wherein for deflecting at leastT they outermost lengthsl ofi yarn out; wardly there areA provided" afpair offsaidv rodsdi'splace'- able in oppositel linear directions and'l each having at least one ofthe hooks lixed thereon; for the respective lengths of'yarn.-

The above and other features;offthefinvention set out in the appended'I claims 'are' incorporated.'in.` the'. construe? tion which will fnow'bev described', as; aspecilfic embodi`- mentiwitlireference to. the accompanying drawings in which..

Figure 1 isa-diagrammatic plan viewrofamultisection straight'ba'rknitting machine accordingtofthe invention.

Figure. 2 isl an enlarged plan view including one com plete knitting section of said machine.

Figure 3 is. a crosssectionallview ofFigure- 2;

Figure 4k is adetailV perspe live 'view'of' a yarn" control device-,.accordinglto. theinventiom i i Figure Sfisaplanview illustratinga modified arrangev ment.

' YFigure 6 is a plan` view illustrating, said` modified. arf rangementat a later. stage of'operations,

Figure. 7`is a p lanv view illustratinga further modified arrangement.

Referringdnow to Figure 1.a Cottons, patentunderwelr and,` outerwearv straight" bar knitting; Illachine, ori pant frame,,offrnulti-section. type, isfprovided with'. meansffor forming knitted blanks constituting bodyk parts. *KB ofv garments successively in.` each', knitting f section KS (such as front andrear body Dartslorsleevefbodyparts), draw: oi rollers., 1, (Figures. Zand. 3 AdrelWOff.hoo.ks,`fa'11.d.meansare. also 'pfovidedgin the.. machine (Figure. 3:). mounting IneansZ for'vpointlbars. substantially as described infthe. said `specification. of our .UQ S. patent. application, Serial No.. 575,047, said.. mounting rrieans,.j2V being.. adapted. to have` pointbars v3` removably' fitted-."tothemlin .inoperative position' and having lengths of rib fabric" RF on the points 4 thereof., (whichare conveniently of right-.angular form), andfthe. mounting m'ean's4` 2. being; autoiriatically, displace. ablel, .b'y means according to saidfspecification-forfad7 vancing the pointfbars.. 3- to operative.. positionv in. co.-y operaton with the needles.; N- in the.; respective knitting Sections.: KS (Figure 1.1.) when. required..v

More srqfecically at-.:.any:fs.uitab1e; time; during. ther Proa duction of the body parts KB, point bars 3 each oflwhieh; has. ailengthofrib. fabric-RF runfonto its-,.points-4, are litted into the mounting meansZ, one bart 32 to each mounting means in each knitting section KS ofithe machine. Whenthel body parts have been vcompletely 11 is ii'rst-moved'from` the last mentioned'position 4. formed they are pressed-olf and the draw-oft' rollers 1 are. further rotated to complete winding of. thebody parts on to them. This results (as exemplified in Figure 2) in lengths of yarn Y being drawn through the operative thread carriers 5 so as to extend from the thread carriers 5 in a manner incliningV inwardly from the adjacent selvedge needles at position SNP to the contracted body partsrKBon the. draw-olif krollers 1;

There. is provided in the machine a yarn control device (as shown in Figure 4) for controlling said lengths. of yarnf More rspecilically the device comprises; a rod; 6 (Figure l) which extends substantially the whole length of the machine. in suitable spaced bearing brackets 7 lixed. to the template rail 8 of. the. machine. These brackets 7 are located at the top rear edge 8a of the template rail 8 (Figure 3) so that'the rod 6 is disposed slightly to the rear of this top edge 8a of the template rail 8. The; rod 6 is slidably disposed in the bearing brackets 7^' and it has fixed on it aj plurality of.. hooksz9.I (Figure 1) onen for each knittingn'section KS of the machine. Each hook 9`Y normally projects inv rearwardly. and downwardly; inclined*l manner (Figure 3)y frornthev rear oftheV rod 6'and at allocation to the outer sidi-ofl saidI length of yarn (Figures 2 andv 3.) in its knitting. section KS (i. e; asl shown infulllines in FiguresZland 3v', to the outer side ofthe yarn lengthY shown inbraken lines with: respect to then adjacent selvedge.y needle. at.

position' SNP) and,V with its mouth 9u directed outwardly; The hooks 9 are conveniently made ofA wi're, and they. may be mounted: adjustably byscrewr means. at position 10 (FigureZ) on the rod 6 for initial setting itdesired:

To effect displacement.of` ther-od fand hooks..9 there isf provided aradially disposedfhand. grip 11', (Figure 1,)V on-the rod-6 convenientlyfin a central inon-knittingsection NKS- offthe machine (if the machine is inA accordance. with saidl U;v S. specification Serial No. 635,167.) and. stops' are provided limitingV both linear displacement of the rod' 6 and' angular displacement thereofy about, its axis. `More specifically thebearing bracket 7,. (Figure 2) forms astationary stop 13A and the bearing-bracket Wisconnectedto' the next bearing bracket 7";bjy a guide bar1'4'and a; graduated scale 15, Slidably mounted 'n the'guide'bar- 14 therev is an adjustable stop 16.. wli l1 cci-operates with the scale 15. The handf grip 11`i hasf-"at boss'- forming one stop` 17v on the rod t5 and' tliis'bossgis4 formed withangularly spaced stops 17 and' 1,18Y (Figure 3);. When Vthel hooks 9 are disposed in said` downwardly. andi rearwardly inclined. position (Fgure.)I at'the outer sidel offthe lengthsotf yarn Y (Figurel 2,7) the hanllgrip'- llvis'disp'osed with stop part 12fthereof1in abuttingt rela?,- tionship (as: shown in.V full 1ines'in Fig`ure-2 )`with ,one sideof" ther` adjustable stop 16 which` prevents further, movement ofi' the hooks 9"outwardly, and thev angular. stop 17 (Figure 3.) engages withv the rear edge 8a.,of the templater'ail A8 which prevents-*further movement of, thehooks `9 downwardly.l

1.11"'rerati0nt O f" the yan1 Cantroll devise. the.. head1 grin a'- direction axially ofv the rodA 6' away from' the saidad justablev stop to: slide the vrod d'axially until the stop 17' engagesv the: stop 13 of-theb'earing.A bracket'7f; thisref sultsfimthe hooks.9 #being carriedbyvfthe rod from the outer; side.;4 positions to. positionsi: disposedif atE the:` inner sides. of thel lengthsofyarn 4Y. (as shown-inbrekeny lines in Figurez 2), Nextithe handgrip 11 is angularlyfdise placed .upwardly about-,the axis of ,the-rod 6.f,(as..shown.in broken lines-in Figures-,2 ...and 42)to turn the .rindi-.about itSaaXiSQU-titil.the-essaierons l-.ifeaeaees the t0n of the A t trail 8'?(Figure,2)v;.thisresults theqhcoksg U .,angularly..:disp laed 1by-.the/rod;6,.ab. out the, lattens; axis. upwardly. whereby the.1 mouths 9a. of,l the hooks 9. aredirectedtowards the lengths of yarn Y." Next the hand'grip 11 is moved to slide. therod in the reverse direction axially of the rod 6 backjinto engagement' with the# adjustableY Vstop*A 1'6 therebyv causingjtheV liooksv9`=rto envases engage the` lengths of .yarn `Y and, deflect `them outwardly until those parts` YP ofthe yarn extending between the hooks 9 and the thread carriers 5 are disposed substantially normal to the row of needles. Finally the hand grip 11 is angularly displaced rearwardly` and downwardly back to its initial position whereat its angular stop 17 engages the rear edge 8a of the template rail 8, and this results in the hooks 9 being angularly displaced by the rod 6 about the latters axis downwardly 4such as to deflect the lengths of yarn Y down` wardly at the locations of the hooks 9 so that said part of `each length of the yarn extending from its thread carrier 5 extends in downwardly inclined manner between adjacent sinkers immediately in front of its thread carrier.

The next operation is for the mounting `of the point bars 3 to be automatically displaced towards the needles N until the points 4 co-operate with the needles N such that ensuing operation of the needles N causes transference of the lengths of rib fabric RF from the point bars 3 to the needles N after which knitting resumes in the formation of further body parts KB.

It will be appreciated that the yfact of deflecting said lengths of yarn Y in the manner referred to ensures that the lengths of yarn Y are completely clear of the points 4 when they are advanced to co-operate with the needles N thereby ensuring satisfactory transference of the lengths of rib fabric RF from the point bars 3 to the needles N, and in consequence ensuring satisfactory feeding of yarn to those needles required to receive it for the initial course of the body part by which the latter is joined to the rib fabric.

In a modified arrangement wherein the body parts KB are made for example of Intarsia fabric or plated pattern fabric, the machine employs a plurality of thread carriers in each knitting section for forming each succession of the body parts such that after pressing off each vbody part there are a plurality of lengths of yarn extending from the thread carriers to each-pressed-off body part. In one such arrangement, illustrated in Figure 5,. in each knitting section the lengths of yarn are fastened to a cleat 19 at a side location so that they then extend in similarly inclined manner from the thread carriers 20 to Z8 to the cleat. For controlling these lengths of yarn there is provided one of said hooks 9 for each length of yarn (the hooks being here indicated by the references 29 to 37). These hooks 29 to 37 are mounted on the rod 6 so that operation of the latter as before described results in all the lengths of yarn being simultaneously deliected each in the manner before described with reference to the one length of yarn (see Figure 6).

In a modification of this arrangement, the pattern of the fabric is such that when a body part in each knitting section is pressed olf, the lengths of yarn extending from the thread carriers to the body part are disposed at relatively diferent inclinations as shown in Figure 7. For controlling these lengths of yarn two series of the hooks 9 (here indicated by the references 38 to 42 and 43 to 46) and two of the rods 6 (here indicated by the references 47 and 48) are provided, the hooks 38 to 42 being fixed on the rod 47 and the hooks 43 to 46 being fixed on the rod 48, and the mouths of the hooks of the two series being outwardly directed. Means such as the aforesaid bearing brackets, guide bar and scale, `the various stops, and the handle, are provided for each rod 47, 48 thereby the rods may be separably operable in opposite linear directions. The hooks 38 to 42 are disposed on the rod 47 in such positions as to engage with those yarns which required to be deliected towards one side, whilst the Y hooks 43 to 46 are disposed on the rod 48 for engaging with those yarns required to be deflected to the other side. Consequently when the rods 47 and 48 are operated substantially in the manner as described with reference to the rod 6, with the exception of the rods 47 and 48 being displacedin opposite linear directions, all the yarns are deliec'ted each substantially in the manner before described with reference to the one length of yarn.

In certain instances certain of the lengths of yarn may not requiredefiection and in such instances no hook or hooks is or are provided therefor.

What we claim is:

1. In a knitting machine for successively producing knitted blanks from the same yarn by the employment of means including a row of needles, at least one thread carrier traversing to and fro along the row of needles, and means for pressing-off each blank so that v`a length of the yarn extends from the thread carrier to the pressed-off blank, yarn deector means comprising a hook fixed on a carrier member, the carrier member being linearly displaceable in a direction parallel to the row of needles for engagement of the hook with the yarn extending from the thread carrier and to deflect the yarn and locate that part of it which is adjacent the row of needles into an attitude extending substantially normal to the row of needles, and also being angularly displaceable transverse to said direction to deflect said yarn and locate that part of it into an attitude extending between the sinkers.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 being a multisection straight bar knitting machine in which there are a plurality of knitting sections and an intermediate nonknitting section; having a rod constituting said carrier member and extending along the plurality of sections and having a plurality of hooks fixed thereon one in each knitting section; mounting means comprising spaced bearing brackets on a stationary frame part of the machine and in which the rod is freely supported for sliding movement in said direction parallel to the row of needles and for angular movement about its own major axis; a guide bar and a graduated scale extending between the bearing brackets; limit stop means limiting said movement and comprising a slidably adjustable stop on the guide bar cooperating with said scale, a stop fixed on the rod to move between one of the bearing brackets and the adjustable stop to adjustably limit the linear displacement of the rod to variably measured distances, and angularly spaced on the rod to cooperate with opposite sides ofA said frame part and limit the angular displacement of the rod; a handle fixed on the rod for its displacement manually; and said mounting means for the rod, the guide bar and scale, the various stops, and the handle, being disposed in the region of said intermediate section.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 having a point bar displaceable to engage its points with the needles in the process of providing on the needles a length of knitting fabric constituting the commencement of each blank, and wherein the deflected attitude of said part of the yarn is such as to be clear of the path of said points when they are being thus displaced.

4. A machine as claimed in claim l having a rod constituting said carrier member, mounting means in which the rod is freely supported for sliding movement in said direction parallel to the row of needles and for angular movement about its own major axis, and limit stop means on the rod and the mounting means limiting such movements.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 having, mounted on a stationary frame part of the machine, spaced bearing brackets constituting the mounting means for the rod, a guide bar and a graduated scale extending between the bearing brackets, a slidably adjustable stop on the guide bar co-operating with said scale, a stop fixed on the rod to move between one of the bearing brackets and the adjustable stop to adjustably limit the linear displacement of the rod to variably measured distances, angularly spaced stops .on the rod to co-operate with opposite sides of said frame part and limit .Y @Matesethe enuleridiep-,Ieement eithe red, and. e .handle fixed.

en, there@ f' 'its dipleeement;manuaily, f

6i A-meeliflees; elelimed in. Gleim; 4feri1p10fyrins eznlie reality ef'fhreed.. Carriers fier thek blanks sulehvi'thet after 12,r,. =sei1,1&ef` eeehl blenletliere are akplurelity efflengths, f'yarn extending fom thethreadfcarriers to` the pressed-l 01T blank, and having oneof said yarn: defietorj means fer; each, lengthei. yarn eQmRr-,ieingla plurality Offheeks mQUItedl' @fthe red for Sirnillten.elous'disglaeement,

l 77'." A4v machine as claimedlin claim rhaving a cleat` er the likel at a Side Imation.; fe. which the plurality, ef lengths ofl yarn are fetene'd so that; they;l auf extend in;similarly,i11c1ine;i,rnannerV fiom ,the2 thr.eai carriers t0v the cleatJ before the deflectiom 0f.'v `the. yarns2 by, the. plurality. eff hooks,

8 A, rxflelehiney are. elefimed in; ele-.imi- 65 wherein after; pressing; offsy the blank, attleaat; twp of' therpmralityefq lengths; of yar-*n extend at;relatiyely;differenteinlinationsf frtem thefthneed. earriersfte v'the pressed eff blank, and.

hayingkgatj, leastj two of said: yarnf deectorf means onedifferent manner necessary" Because: QINv the differenti inelinaftienef of" thev two lengths' ef yarn.

9.` A machine as clirnedjin claim 6'," wherein after pressingA off theV bln k the pluralityofv`l lengthsof, yarnl extendein convergentv manner` frpm the thread, carriers te the pressed. eff b1`ank and" whereinv fer deeetnget least they outermost lengths, of yarn outwardly there are provide@l a pair' of." said'Y rods displceablein; opppsite linear. directionsv and." each having et least One 0f the. heeke f'xed thereon5 fen the respective lengthsh 0f` yam;

References Cited in theA le of 4this patente UNITED., SATESIYBAIENIS v 2.7.46;275v4 c0ber,tq l-,;. Mayfzzy 19536; 

